Degrassi: The Next Generation Crush, pain, life
by ThisIsMyAlterEgo
Summary: DNG Season 3, mainly about Marco and his relationship with Dylan. Ellie and her problems, Manny and her new image, Sean and his chioces, Paige and her memories or last year, and Terri's new boyfriend.
1. Story Summary

Degrassi: The Next Generation   "Crush, Pain, Life"

These are the main characters and their conflicts.

Marco and Dylan and their relationship.

Marco and Dylan start a relationship. Can they hold out? How far will it go? How will others react?

Ellie and her problems

Ellie's dad is gone, in a different country. Her mom Drinks. She can't handle it. How will she deal? Will she get help? Who will help?

Sean and his choices

After Sean stole Snake laptop he starts hanging with Jay. What will happen with him and Emma? What will his choices lead to? 

Paige and her memories

Lat year, Paige was raped. What sparks the memories? Will Dean come back? How will she deal this time?

Terri and her new boyfriend

Terri had a secret admirer, she thought it was Toby, she wanted it to be Rick. She finds out that it is Rick. What will she do?  Is he the perfect boyfriend? Who tries to help? Will she ever admit it?

Craig and his cheating

Craig messed around with Manny, then he made up with Ash. He is seeing both of them at the same time. Will he get found out? What really happened with Manny? What is the big secret that Manny is afraid to tell?


	2. Crush

_*I don't own any of the Characters and only some of the plot line is original. My take on Season 3, what I want to happen._

**Pairing: Marco/Dylan, Paige/Spinner, Jimmy/Hazel, Emma/Sean, Ash/Craig, Spike/Snake (all the pairings that are in S3, except M/D, might be later on in the season) **

"I'm not as bad as them. I would never do that. You know that right?"

"Spin, just stop all right. You may not have hit him or anything, but you practically hate him now, because he's gay, and what you wrote on the wall. It's still bashing."

"How do you know about all of this stuff, how do you know if I was bashing him."

"Spin, hun, Dylan is gay too. He went through all of this when he came out. He can deal with it, he fights it. Marco can't."

"Why can't he just date Hazel? Why does he have to be gay?"

"He can't change it. He was born that way. Just like you like girls, he likes boys. It's natural to him. It would be like you trying to like boys; you wouldn't want to do that, would you?"

"Like boys? That's disgusting. It's not normal. Kissing another guy, touching another guy."

"Well, kissing a girl isn't normal to Marco. Being gay is what he knows."

"Why didn't he tell us when he first moved here then?"

"He probably didn't know. Dylan didn't come out until he was in 9th. Anyway, why would he? They way you reacted? He was probably scared everyone would do that. Luckily for him Jimmy, Ellie, Dylan and me are cool with it. Ash is too. She thought he might be a long time ago. I talked to Ellie about how he was acting. Dylan told me he was weird."

"You talked to Ellie. The vampire?"

Yes. It's not like I've never talked to her before. She said that Marco is scared. After what happened with you and those guys in the park, he's not going to _be_ anything. He won't even tell his parents. And now any chance of him and Dylan is out. Speaking of Dylan, I need to talk to him. See you at lunch."

            "Bye." 

-----

            "Hey, Dylan." Paige hurried to catch up with him.

            "Socializing with the brother at school, something must be wrong."

            "Ha, ha, very funny. I need to talk to you about Marco."

            "Is something wrong? He's okay, isn't he?"

"Yes. Aww that's cute, and you aren't even together yet." Dylan blushed. "Lets go over here."

"Okay," he followed his sister to the side of the hall. "Out with it."

"You were right."

"I was right about?"

"Marco is," her voice dropped so no one would hear her, "gay."

"I know. I could tell. Not that it matters, he won't even talk to me."

"I wanted to talk to you about that. Maybe you should help him deal. You can handle it."

"How am I supposed to? He won't talk to me, he won't look at me. He's not comfortable with it. If he were he wouldn't care what people thought. He has to be comfortable with who he is or I can't help. He might not even want help."

"I talked to Ellie, Marco likes you. She could tell."

"So could I, trust me. We both do, but he's not comfortable with it yet."

-----

"Marco. Will you stop this already? You can't just ignore it." Marco kept walking. Ellie walked faster to stay with him.

"Ellie just leave me alone. I'm ignoring it, it's working fine." Ellie grabbed his arm to stop him.

"No, it's not. What Spinner wrote is still there; people are going to see it. And people know, Marco. Ash told me a long time ago that you were, when I liked you. I didn't want to believe it, but I could tell too." He looked up at her his dark eyes filling with tears.

"I know. I lied about getting beat-up, they knew. They bashed me because they hate it. People hate it. I can't be something people hate."

"People hate everything, sometimes. But it's what you are; you can't forget what you are. And what about Dylan? Are you going to forget that too?"

"I don't want to, but I'm not sure I can deal with a relationship. I like him, but I'm not sure I can."

"Just talk to him, he's been through it. Maybe he can help. Okay, Marco? Promise me you will. Anyways, maybe you two can get together." Marco smiled.

"All right, I'll talk to Dylan." Ellie walked off to class leaving him alone, with everyone else. Most of the school knew about what was written on the wall of the boy's bathroom 'MARCO IS GAY'. Some of the girls giggled when he was around, a few people reacted like Spin, a few it didn't seem to bother, the ideal reaction. It seemed like they were used to it, having been through it with Dylan.

Marco smiled remembering how Dylan dealt with Jay. _I wish I could do that. _On his way to talk to Dylan, he got stopped. Jay came up behind him and said the one thing that he didn't want to hear.

"Looking for your boyfriend?" Marco took a deep breath. He thought back to how Dylan had handled him. _I can do this._ He turned around and stared Jay in the face; he hardened his expression and confronted him.

------

            Dylan stopped in the middle of the hall. He watched Jay come up behind Marco. He said something that Dylan couldn't hear, but he thought he knew what it was anyway. He had seen that latest bathroom graffiti. He was about to tell off Jay when he saw that Marco had it covered. Marco faced Jay. He got a little intimidated by Marco; he didn't expect to be faced by him.

            Dylan smiled and walked up to Marco as Jay left.

            "Hey, Marco." Marco turned around to face Dylan.

            "Hey," he smiled shyly and looked Dylan over. "I was just on my way to talk to you."

"So you're talking to me now? Talk about what?"

"Sorry about that, I was upset. I promised Ellie…I'd talk to you about.." his voice dropped off.

            "All right. What about it?"

            "How you handle it."

"Listen, why don't we meet up after school." Dylan grinned as Marco nodded. "Out in the foyer."

            "Sure, see you then." Dylan reached out and touched Marco's arm as he left.

----

            "What did you have to talk to Dylan about?"

            "Marco." Spinner sighed.

"Don't tell me you're still trying to get them together?"

            "Why not? They'd be cute together. Anyway I don't have to try." Spinner scrunched up his face.

"You don't mean they're already…" Paige laughed.

            "No, but it's obvious they like each other." Spinner shook his head.

            "Hey, Jimmy." Jimmy looked at Spin and rose and eyebrow.

 "Are you still mad at me about Marco?"

"What do you think Spin, maybe you've forgotten, but I haven't.

"I haven't, between you and page, how could I." He walked off.

Jimmy shook his head.

"He's got to get over it, Marco is his friend.'

"Sure, Paige, he will eventually."


	3. New things

----

            Marco surveyed the foyer, looking for Dylan. He spotted him standing by the door. He almost didn't go up to him, was he really ready for this?

            Dylan saw Marco right away, but he looked unsure, so he didn't say anything.

            Marco finally made himself approach Dylan.

            "Hey."

"Hey, Marco, so you still want to talk?" Marco looked at him for a while.

            "Yeah." They walked out side by side.

            "I have my car. So where do you want to go?"

            "Well, no one's home at my house." _Did I just do that?_

            "Okay." Dylan drove them to Marco's house, under his directions. Marco was so nervous he was shaking; he could barely get the key in the door.

            "Are you okay, Marco?'

            "Um…yeah.'

            "It feels weird doesn't it?" Marco nodded.

            "We should go upstairs, that way we can keep talking when my mom comes home."

            "Okay, makes sense." Marco sat down on his bed.

            "Do your parents know?" Dylan sat a couple feet from Marco.

            "I've never told them, but I think they might."

            "Mine did, I knew my whole life, I think they could tell too."

"Paige said you dated girls before you came out."

            "Yeah, I guess I didn't want people to know, the girls didn't even know."

            "That was cool the other day, with Jay."

            "That's how I deal; I figure there's two ways I can deal with it, I can feel like what I am is wrong, or I can make that person feel like they are wrong for bothering me about it."

"Seems to work."

"Yeah, I guess." Dylan laughed and shifted. His knee bumped Marco's. They looked at where their knees touched.

"Dylan," Dylan looked up, "I-I like you. I'm sorry about how I acted the other day, I was scared. Who knows what could have happened if the cops hadn't drove by."

"I had my share of bashing's too, not as bad as yours, but it still hurt." They both sat silent for a while.

"Have you been-have you ever kissed another guy?"

"Once." Dylan smiled.

"Only once?"

"Yeah some older guy, I don't even really remember."

"You don't remember?" Marc laughed a little. Dylan laughed too.

            "I wasn't dating him or anything, I've never even had a boyfriend."

            "So you've never _been_ with a guy?" They were smiling non-stop.

            "I've never _been_ with anyone." Marco looked Dylan over the back t his eyes.

            "I meant what I said, I like you." Dylan turned toward him.

            "I like you too, Marco." Marco reached over and touched Dylan's leg, Dylan bit his lip.

            "Is kissing a guy different than kissing a girl?"

            "It's more natural, I guess. You actually feel something from it." Marco's hand moved up Dylan's leg a little bit. Dylan touched Marco's face, and leaned in slowly, their lips met softly.

            Marco felt something inside, something he'd only touched on the first time he saw Dylan. All he'd been feeling went away. All he could think about was Dylan and how he felt about him. Marco slid closer to Dylan and eagerly led into the next kiss.

            Dylan noticed the change in Marco right away. Marco leaned into Dylan; they leaned back against the bad. They'd only been kissing ten minutes when they heard the front door open down stairs. They both jumped up.

            Marco was really getting into kissing Dylan, really into it. And Dylan was really getting into it. They were both really excited, it being their first make-out session. They tried to keep their hands in the right places, but they couldn't. Their hands strayed to the other's stomach and thighs. There were several times when their fingers brushed the other's button on the waistband of their jeans.

            Marco's mother came up the stairs.

"Marco, are you home?"

"Yeah, mom." She tried his door, but it was locked.

"Whose car is that out front?" Dylan and Marco straightened their clothes and the bed. Marco unlocked the door and opened it.

"A friend's." His mom looked at Marco and Dylan. Her eyes lingering on Dylan.

"Who is this?" 

"Dylan, Paige's brother. It's his car." She looked them over, noticing their messed up hair and clothes.

"You have your license?"

"Yes, I'm seventeen." She remembered someone saying something about Dylan. The phone rang; she went downstairs to answer it.

 Dylan and Marco burst out laughing as soon as she left. They at back down on the bed.

"That was weird."

"Yeah, sorry about the ninth degree, but she's nervous about who I get into a car with after Craig's little joyride last year."

Downstairs, Mrs. Del Rossi help the phone tightly.

"Yes. Thank you." She remembered what she'd heard about Dylan, that same thing she just heard about her son. She headed back upstairs

Dylan and Marco sat on the bed talking. She cleared her throat the boys looked up.

"Who was that?" 

"I'm not sure, but they told me something interesting." Dylan and Marco looked at each other.

"Marco. Are you gay?" He didn't say anything.

"And Dylan too?" Dylan nodded. "And you two..." She didn't even wait for an answer, she left his room.

" I think I better go. I'll se you tomorrow."

"Bye."

----

            Later on that night, after she had talked to his dad, Marco's mom came back to his room.

            "Marco, we're okay with it. We don't mind that you are gay, and it's great that you have a friend that is too."

            "But?"

            "But, we are a little uncomfortable with the idea of you and Dylan. He seems like a great kid, but he's two years older than you. We can get used to it, but we would like it if you two didn't lock the door."

            "It makes you nervous that Dylan and I are locking you out."

"Well I know what you were doing today, and I saw how both of you reacted to it." Marco looked lost " It was obvious that you were both...excited." Marco looked down and blushed. "It's okay, it's normal. I really don't mind if you and Dylan date, and we can get used to the physical part of it."

"But you want us to not lock the door and to be careful."

"Yes. And be careful of other people too, a lot of people don't react well to it."

"I know. Me getting beat up a while ago, that wasn't about my shoes. It was bashing."

Marco called Dylan as soon as his mom left.

"Hello?"

"Is Dylan there?"

"Yes, hold on."

"Hello?"

"Hey."

"Marco. So, your parents talk to you yet?"

"Yeah. They're cool with it. They're cool with you and me too, but if we shut the door we can't lock it."

"Are they afraid of what we'll do?"

"No. They just want to know they can stop it if they have to."

"So, what happened tonight, what does it mean?"

"It could mean that we are together. If you want to be?"

"Sure. But we don't have to be together in public if you don't want."

"No. I think we should be."

"Okay. Look, I've got to go."

"Bye."

"Bye."

"Was that Marco?" Dylan looked at his sister.

"Yes." Dylan said smiling.

"So your little meeting went well."

"Yeah."

"So are you two going out?" Dylan smiled.

"Wait. Did you and Marco kiss?"

"You could say that."

"OMG. Did you two make out?" Dylan couldn't help smiling.

"You did." She squealed.

"I can't believe you and Marco made out." Dylan's face fell, Paige turned around. Their parents had walked in just as Paige said that. Paige left quickly.

"Marco?" Dylan looked down. "You have a boyfriend?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Marco? Isn't that one of Paige's friends?" Dylan nodded.

"So he's fifteen?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, he's a little young, isn't he?" Dylan rolled his eyes.

"So you've kissed him?"

"Yeah," Dylan smiled at the opportunity. "We messed around."

"Dylan." His parents weren't happy.

"What? We did." They looked at him disappointedly again. "You're going to have to get used to it. Am I not supposed to have a sex life because you can't deal?"

"Dylan we just want you to think about this."

"Think about what? You don't know Marco. You don't know what I feel."

"Do you even know what you feel, Dylan?" 

"Yes. I know that Marco is the best thing I have, I know that when I kissed him I felt right, I know that tonight, with him it felt so right." He got up and left.

Paige came into Dylan's room.

"I thought mom and dad were cool with you?"

"They are, as long as the don't have to think about messing around with other guys."

"Oh, so you and Marco?"

"No. Just kissed." Paige sat down next to him.

"Do you want to?"

"Marco?" Dylan raised an eyebrow. "I don't know. I mean I never really think about it. I mean it's normal for a teenage guy to think about sex right? But I didn't." 

"Didn't?" Dylan smiled.

"Not until today, with Marco. I think I do."

------

Marco called Dylan to come back to his house. Dylan drove over, and Marco met him at the door. 

"Hey."

"Hey." Marco took Dylan's hand and they went to his room.

"Are your parents home?"

"Yeah, they are. Asleep." Dylan kissed Marco. Marco opened his mouth and deepened the kiss. Dylan slipped his tongue into Marco's mouth. Marco's hands slipped under Dylan's shirt, he slipped it off. Dylan slipped each button on Marco's shirt out of its slot, and then slid it off his shoulders.


	4. Pain

*****Next Day

"Hey Paige." She turned around to see Hazel coming down the hall.

"Hey Haze."

"What? You look…"

"Tired, yeah, well, I got up at five this morning."

"Why?"

"My parents realized Dylan's car was gone, Dylan too."

"What, he was gone all night?"

"Yeah, he got a call at like ten last night, and I guess he left. My parents called his cell at six, good thing he had it on too."

"Where was he?"

"He stayed over at his boyfriend's house."

"He has a boyfriend?" Hazel looked shocked. Ash walked up to them. "Hey Ash."

"Who has a boyfriend?"

"Hey Ash. Dylan does."

"Really, who?" Paige looked down the hall and saw her brother and Marco walking together. She nodded towards them, Ash and Hazel followed her gaze. Ash smiled a little.

"Marco?" Hazel looked back at Paige.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. I guess they did more than talk at their little meeting after school yesterday."

"Oh, there's Craig, I gotta go."

"Don't say anything, okay?" Ash nodded as she left.

"That's weird, it's good though right? For them?"

"Yeah, until the guys find out. Spin won't like it, and Jimmy and Craig are cool with Marco being gay, but a boyfriend. Especially my brother."

"Eh, I get it. I'll se you later." Ellie walked up to Paige after Hazel walked off to class.

"Looks like Marco and Dylan hit it off. Huh?"

"Yeah they did. Oh, you don't know yet do you?"

"Know what?

"Dylan and Marco got together after school. Their meeting was more of a make out session than a talk though."

"That's so cute."

"Dylan stayed at Marco's last night."

------

"Marco"

"Craig, Hi."

"What's with you, man?"

"What's with me?"

"Yeah, you look unnaturally happy."

"I guess I am happy, really happy.

Ellie's cell rang at lunch. "Hello?"

"Ellie?"

"Dad. Hi."

"How are you?"

"Good. How is it there."

"It's nice. We're getting a lot of work done. How's your mom?"

"The same as always."

"Oh, I'll talk to later Sweetie."

"Bye."

*****

When she got home from her intern at Caitlin Ryan's TV show she found her mom passed out on the couch. 

"Again." She covered her with a blanket and picked up the empty alcohol bottles, and headed to her room.

She missed hr dad already, she was sick of taking care of her mom, and Caitlin expected her to do everything.

She started to cry, she looked around her room. Her eyes fell to the canvas on her floor, and then settled on the razorblade that lay on the canvas.

--------- New Chapter

            Ellie twisted her hair into two braids, as usual. She glanced into the mirror, then left. She tugged at the sleeves of her shirt, then again when they inched up. As she walked in Paige caught up with her.

"So talked to Marco lately"

"No. Why?" 

"Just wondering. I wanted to see if he said anything about Dylan."

"I've been busy with my internship."

"Oh, yeah. So how is it? I'm glad I didn't get it, it sounds to hectic for me."

"It's good." Paige noticed that Ellie kept tugging at her sleeves. There was a line of blood on her sleeve. 

"Hey, El. You're bleeding."

"Huh? Oh, um...thanks." She rushed into the bathroom.

Ellie found an empty stall in the bathroom. She pulled up her sleeve, one of the cuts had reopened. Her arm was covered in cuts form her wrist to halfway up to her elbow. She pulled another shirt out of her bag, one with black sleeves. She pulled the other one off and replaced it with the new. She headed straight to homeroom.

She sat in class listening to Ms. Hatzilakos drone on about parent teacher meetings.

"I want to see all of your parents there, tell them to come."

Ellie walked up to her teacher.

"Can I get my marks now? My parents can't come." 

"Why not Ellie?"

"My dad is away, and my mom is …sick."

"We're not supposed to. We have to give them to the parents."

"If my parents can't come though, you should give them to me."

"I'll have to talk with Mr. Raditch about it."

-------AFTER CLASS

            "Ellie, You changed shirts." Ellie turned from her locker to see Paige standing behind her.

            "Yeah, so."

            "Your mom is sick, huh? Not bad I hope."

            "No, she'll be okay." _If only that were true._ "Did you want something?" Paige opened her mouth, then closed it again. 

"Have you talked to Marco yet?"

"No. You really want to know what he thinks of Dylan don't you?"

"Yeah. I haven't seen him this happy for a while. It's great."

"I'll talk to him." 

"Great." Ellie watched Paige walk off.

She caught Marco at his locker.

            "Marco."

"Oh, Hey El." She smiled at him and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Dylan stayed over the other night, huh?" Marco blushed and grinned.

"Nothing happened, well, okay, something happened, but not…that."

"What happened then?" Marco leaned against his locker.

"We kissed. It was great. Things make sense now."

---------------


	5. Changes

            Emma hadn't talked to him since the day he stole Snake's new laptop. _There's no way she could know._ But hanging out with Jay and his friends was way better than with Emma and Toby.  He'd helped Jay supe up his car, that's what led him to stealing Snake's computer. Jay needed cash for parts for his car, he planned on stealing Mr. Simpson's keyboard but he told Jay that would get him fifty bucks max. Sean suggested the computer. _It was just a computer, what good would it do. So what? Snake has cancer, a lot of people do. It's better than having drunks for parents._ Emma had been doing her environmental stuff, babysitting, taking care of Snake; she had hardly spent any time with him at all. She didn't seem to care, and her freaking out because Kendra saw us making out, that was it.

            Sean was tired of getting in trouble for things he didn't so, like with the vending machine, or getting pushed to the side. Jay is cool, he's like me, but he can be a jerk sometimes. He's always on Paige's brother's case, because he's gay, and now on Marco for the same thing. That is stupid; I've tried to get him to leave off it.  

            Jimmy's still mad at me for whatever, it's not like he's dating Ash anymore. It's probably about the party and stealing his parents alcohol. _He needs to get over himself, it's not like they'd even notice. In their penthouse with all their money._

Sean hung out with Jay all weekend, helping him put in the hatchback system. The pawned computer more than paid for it. He called Em a few times, he got the answering machine

            Paige woke up suddenly. Tears streamed down her face, she sat up shaking. She looked around her dark room, then walked slowly to the bathroom. Her face was streaked with tears; she ran the cold water and splashed her face. Her hands still shaking, she returned to her room. She heard Dylan stirring in the next room, the rustle of sheets. She wanted to run to him, he'd been there for her so much before. He was probably dreaming about Marco. She smile a little, and lay down to try to sleep. The instant she closed her eyes she saw him again. Dean. She opened her eyes quickly, the red glow of her clock penetrated the darkness. The clock read three, it was getting lighter outside. Paige pulled the covers tightly around her.

            In the next room Dylan heard what sounded like crying. He heard Paige's door open, then the bathroom door. He sat up, thinking about seeing what was wrong; instead he listened for the two doors again. The two doors shut softly; there was a small sound as she climbed into bed again. Dylan lay back down.

            As the alarm on Paige's clock went off the next morning, she already sat, fully clothed, on her bed. She inspected her reflection in the mirror, she looked good, there was little sign she hadn't slept well. She sat next to Dylan in his car on the way to school.

            "Are you okay, Paige?" She looked at him.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" She replied with fake cheeriness.

"I thought I heard something last night." Paige shrugged.

"Guess not." The rest of the ride was silent. They went different ways when they got to school, Dylan to find Marco, Paige to find Spinner.

            Dylan headed for Marco's locker, he was there waiting.

"Hey."

"Hey" They both smiled, that was about all they could do, it's not like they could really kiss at school.

Spin walked by them, rolled his eyes and kept going.

He walked up to Paige.

"Are your brother and Marco…?"

"Yeah, why?" Spin made a face.

"That's…uh…weird." He was going to say sick, but he changed him mind.

"Come off it Spin."

"I just said it was weird." Paige dug in her locker for a notebook.

"Maybe you should go talk to Marco. I'm sure it would make him feel better if he knew you were cool with it, I mean, if you're still friends."

"Look, I don't know if we're still friends, and I don't know if I'm cool with it. He's dating your brother! They've probably kissed." He shuddered. He was talking a little loud, causing people to look at them.

            "They have Spin, a lot, but they're cute. They're happy, why ruin it?"

_Because it's weird._ He didn't say it though. He walked off.

            "Hey Paige"

"Hey."

"I still can't believe it."

"Huh?" Hazel nodded her head toward Marco and Dylan who were walking by. Paige smiled.

------------------------------

Dylan and Marco walked off to class together, they were walking so close together that they're hand nearly touched. Marco stopped.

"Wait." Dylan stood across from him.

"What?"

"Didn't we say we were going to be public about this?"

"yeah, but in school? I mean there are the guys, and Spin, and Jay."

"So, if they don't like it they don't have to look." The bell rang, the hall emptied. Dylan and Marco kept talking. 

Dylan smiled and took Marco's hand. "So, any more talks from your parents?"

            "No, not really. They want me to invite you over for dinner tonight."

"Really? That should be interesting."

"What about your parents?"

"What about them?"

"How do they feel about us?" Dylan let out a breath.

"They don't like it." Marco was surprised. "They were cool with me being gay, but when they have to think about me having a sex life, they don't like it."

"Oh, mine don't like that part either. My mom almost freaked when she found out you slept over. I told her that we didn't, but she's still worried." The tardy bell rang.

Dylan smiled, remembering the other night. He put his other hand (the one not holding Marco's) to Marco's neck, and kissed him. Macro kissed back. Their lips moved across each other's and between, and their tongues met.

Mrs. Kwan was walking back to her class from the office. She was distracted by a kissing couple in the hall. _Marco del Rossi and…Dylan Michaelchuk._ It was a bit of a surprise, but not much. She'd heard people talking about it.

"Hey, boys." They stopped, and waited for it. "No kissing in the halls. Get to class." They had expected to be yelled at, or worse. They let go of each other, blushing. Dylan headed off to his class; Marco followed Mrs. Kwan to his.  Mrs. Kwan stopped him at the door. _Here we go_. 

"Marco, I'm glad that you and Dylan are so comfortable. It's really good. I've seen a lot of kids like you go through school hiding. Just remember in school PDA is limited to hand holding. No more kissing." She smiled and opened the door. Marco followed and sat in his seat, he ignored the whispers that came with him entering the room.

Mrs. Kwan sat at her desk and wrote a note that excused Dylan from being late, she started the class then headed to Dylan's class.  At the end of class she called Marco to her desk.

"Usually, being as late as you were would result in detention. However, I'm going to excuse it this time, on account of first love." Marco blushed at that comment, surprised that she said love.

-------------------

            Paige went into the restroom between classes. She heard the echoing of Dean's voice in her head. "Hey, Spirit." She shook her head trying to get rid of it.

------------------

            Marco sat in science class; he could tell that Spin was watching him. 

            "What is your problem Spin?"

            "Nothing, I'm just thinking."

            "Whatever."

            "So," Spin spoke quietly, "You and Dylan, huh?"

            "Yeah, so." Marco blushed.

            "Are you happy? With him, I mean."

            "Yeah, Spin. I am." Marco was surprised that Spinner was trying to understand.

            "You really like him?" _Oi, he's really going o ask me._

            "Yeah I do."  He didn't really answer it, but he knew Spin would ask him again.

            "I mean, really. Like serious, ….love." _Again with the love word again. _

            "I don't know Spin. You don't really want to know anyway." Spin looked hurt.

            "Marco, I do, okay. I'm okay with it, well, I'm not okay with it…but it doesn't bother me. You're just avoiding answering that aren't you." He laughed

            "I ….think I do. Love him." 

            "Hey, that's cool. The way Paige acts, I bet he feels the same."

            "Boys! Stop talking."

---------------------------------

            Emma sat in class looking at someone, not just someone--Chris, and not just looking--she was staring at him. Manny noticed. "Em!" She tossed a square of paper to her desk.

                                                 _You like Chris, I can tell._

_                                                He's cool, you should ask him out._

_                                               His cousin is DJing a rave this weekend,                                                                                                                                      he always lets Chris spin lets go to it._

            Emma wrote her back.

                                                _I don't even think her likes me._

_                                                A RAVE, are you CRAZY??!!_

_                                                Spike and Snake will never let me go_

She tossed it over.

"He wouldn't like me anyway, I'm boring. Right?"

"Em. You aren't boring. You just need a bit of an update."

"An update?"

"A new look." Emma shook her head. "Not like mine, just something a little sexier."

"I'm not sure Manny."

"Come on, not too much. We'll go shopping after school."

"Okay, but I get a say in this too."

They walked by Sean, Emma rolled her eyes and didn't even look at him. Manny gave him a sympathetic glance.

"Emma, you can't hate him forever."

"Can't I? He stole Snake's computer, he's a jerk. I don't know why I gave him so much time."

"Anyway, back to your new look."

----------------

            Paige searched her locker for a book for her next class; she caught bits and pieces of conversations going on in the hall.

                        [ 'can you believe they're going out….I heard they got caught kissing in the hall.'

                        'by who?'  'Kwan, and she just let it pass']

                        'are you going to the rave?'

                        'Bardell'

            The last word made her shiver, Bardell, that's where Dean went to school. He would have graduated last year though, if it weren't for the charges. They hadn't been able to get him for much, but he got a few months in a youth detention center.  She knew what they were talking about; they played Bardell at the next game. She was lost in thought and didn't notice that Ellie had approached her.

"I Talked to Marco." Paige looked up.

"Really? And?"

"And he's happy, he really likes Dylan. He said everything makes sense now."

"Good. Dylan really likes him too."

"Have you heard about Kwan?"

"I heard something about her catching someone in the hall making out."

"Yeah." Ellie raised her eyebrow to emphasize. Paige's eyes got big.

"She caught Marco and Dylan?" Ellie nodded. "Wow. I guess they are comfortable."  She shut her locker and checked her watch. "So, yesterday? Your arm?"

"Oh…it was jut a scratch." 

"Okay. I have to go to class. See you later." _Something was up with her, I'll check the net during class. Something about warning signs, I heard something about cutting, maybe…_

--------------------------------

            By lunchtime everyone was so ready to get out of class. Manny had the entire weekend planned, Emma's outfit, and a little plan of her own. She was going to get Craig back. _He doesn't love Ash, he wouldn't have been with me instead. She doesn't deserve him, she doesn't._ She hadn't talked to him since the day after, and that was only for a second because Ash interrupted. _He loves me, I know it._

            Craig was really confused, he was caught between to great girls. Ash—she had made up with him, they said their I-love-you's. Manny—She wasn't a kid anymore, she definitely didn't remind him of Angie anymore, and that night. Who could he talk to about it? Sean was hanging with Jay (major jerk), Marco was dating Paige's brother, so he was a little busy, but he would work. There's always Joey, but he'd be mad, he always told Craig not to cheat on Ash.  But who else is there, Spin isn't exactly the talking type.  He tried to find Marco, he spotted him talking to Dylan in the Library. He didn't really want to interrupt, but he had to talk to Marco.  He walked slowly up to the two boys. Marco saw him and smiled. "Hey Craig."

            He tried to smile. "Marco, can I talk to you for a minute?" 

Marco turned to Dylan. "I'll talk to you later." He smiled and touched Dylan's arm. He walked off with Craig.  "What's up?"

            "I screwed up, majorly this time."

            "Did you have a fight with Ash?"

            Craig raised his left eyebrow. "No, but it has something to do with her, and Manny."

Marco's mouth dropped open. "Manny? Don't tell me….Craig, you can't exactly go out with  both of them. "

"I know, that's the problem. Ash is great, she's beautiful and fun, and she likes music. But Manny is cute, and hot, and …well."

"Okay, so when did this happen, this thing with Manny?"

"At Paige's party, after Ash and I had that fight, Manny and I kinda hooked up."

"Hooked up? Craig, you didn't?" 

Craig leaned into the wall. "I didn't mean to, she was there and she was coming on to me, I couldn't help it."

"Craig, you and Ash haven't even gone that far yet." He thought a bit. "Wait, where?"

"In the garage."

"Oh, how romantic." He laughed a little.

Craig laughed too. "Shut up."

"So, the thing you have to do now is choose one." Marco leaned against the wall.

"Yeah, sure. How am I supposed to do that."

"Which one do you love?" 

Craig play-hit his head on the wall. " I don't know, what if I love both of them?"

"It doesn't work that way man." Marco left Craig to figure it out.

            Terri took the rose off of her locker, and twirled it around in her hand. _The second one this week. _

            "Another rose?" Terri turned around to see Hazel smiling at her.

            "I wish I could figure out who it is."


	6. Love

"It could be anyone."

"I know who I want it to be." Terri watched a boy with downcast eyes walk by.

"You like Rick? You should ask him out."

Terri hesitated. "What if it's not even him?" Hazel pushed her over to where Rick stood at his locker.

                "Go for it!" She whispered loudly. Terri barely missed bumping into Rick.

                "I have to go to class, see you later Hazel." Rick watched her leave with a smile on his face.

-----------

"Paige!" She looked down the hall, Spin was coming towards her.

"Hey Spin."

"I talked to Marco." Paige took his hand.

"See, I told you things would be fine."

"I guess, but it still freaks me out." They headed for lunch and were joined by Hazel and Jimmy.

"Where's Terri?"

"She's trying to figure out who's leaving the roses."

"Where's Craig, man?"

"No clue I haven't seen him."

Paige's cell rang, she checked to see who it was, unknown.

"Hello?" The other end was silent, but she could just make out breathing. She turned away from the group. "Who is this?" The only answer was a click on the other side. As she turned back to the group hazel stopped talking to the guys.

                "Who was that?"

"Um...wrong number."

Jimmy raised his eyebrows, "Okay."

"So Paige, you in? The Dot tonight."

"Sure, Spin."

"Should we ask Marco?" Jimmy hoped Spinner wouldn't make a comment.

"No."

"Spin," Paige elbowed him. "I thought you talked to him."

"I did," he whispered back. "But he said that…he thinks he l-loves your brother."

"Really? Ohmygosh, that's so great."

"Paige? That's not great."

"Whatever Spin."

--------------

                Dylan waited for Marco outside of the library. "What was that about?"

"Craig has a problem. He's dating Ash and Manny at the same time."

"Eh…not cool."

"So, about tonight?"

"Yeah, I can come over right after school, I already talked to my mom about it."

Marco smiled. "Great."

"I have to find Paige though and tell her to find a ride, but I have to go to my locker first."

"Okay, I'll come with you." They got a few feet from his locker and Dylan stopped cold.

"Never mind lets just go find Paige."

"What?" Marco looked around Dylan to his locker.

"Just forget it. It's not a big deal."

"Dylan, we have to tell Mr. Raditch."

"No, It's fine." Marco grabbed Dylan's arm.

"Dylan, Come on. You wouldn't let me take it from Spinner, and I won't let you take it from Jay."

A few minutes later, they returned with Mr. Raditch behind them. "Okay, I'll get a custodian to clean this up. Any Idea who it was?"

"I think it might have been Jay, he calls me that."

"Jayson, should have known." Mr. Raditch left.

"Okay, I'm going to find Paige now."

"I'll see you after school, I have to do something." Dylan headed off to find his sister, and Marco to talk to someone.

He hurried down the hall and ran into the person he was trying to find.

"Marco."

"Were you with him?" Sean looked confused.

"Huh?"

"Jay. Were you with him when he tagged Dylan's locker?"

"What?! No. What did he write"

"What else? 'Homochuk.' That's no the problem though, if it were just tagging it wouldn't bother Dylan so much. I think it goes deeper, I think Jay…did something."

"Want me to find out for you?"

"You're helping me?" Marco was surprised.

"Yeah, you're my friends." Marco nodded.

"Thanks."

-----------------

Dylan found Paige next to Spinner in the cafeteria.

"Dyl?"

"He tagged my locker." Paige and Spinner were both lost.

"Wait, What? Who?"

"Jay. He put 'Homochuk' on my locker." Dylan tried to hold up, but it was hard.

"Oh, Dylan." Paige touched his arm.

Spinner was still lost. "He just tagged your locker, it'll come off."

Paige glanced at hr boyfriend. "No…Spin." She shook her head, he caught on and shut up. She turned back to her brother.

"Have you told Marco?" Dylan shook his head. "You have to."

"I think he knows that it's something, I'll tell him tonight." 

Spin edged his way in. "Hey, the gang is going to the Dot after school, you two should come." For that he got a blank look from both of the Micalchuks.

"What?"

"You're inviting Marco and Me to hang out with you guys."

"Yeah. I'll talk to him."

"Okay." Dylan wasn't sure of Gavin's motives, but he ignored it and headed off to class. 

After he left Paige had to find out what was up. "what was that about?"

"If they are hanging out with us, they can't be alone together."

"Spin." Paige shook her head and pulled her boyfriend off to class.

--------------

After school Dylan waited at Marco's locker.

"Hey, Dylan."

"Hey. So did Gavin talk to you?"

"About going to The Dot? Yeah." He pulled his stuff from his locker and shut the door. "So you ready?"

"Yeah." They walked to Dylan's car. As they got in Marco brought up dinner with his parents.

"About tonight, don't worry if my dad is a little silent tonight, he's not really used to it yet. I think he's trying to pretend that we're just friends." 

Dylan reached over and took Marco's hand. "Don't worry about it. My dad is the same way." _That's__ not completely wrong, he is, only worse._

They pulled up to The Dot, they got out and headed to the door. Paige and the others we already there they joined them sitting at the two empty chairs, side-by-side. The conversation started up again.

"So, who was it?" Paige half-squealed. 

Jimmy leaned over and filled them in on it. "Terri found out who was leaving the roses on her locker." Hazel waited a minute to tell.

"Rick!"

"That's so great." Hazel started talking about the game Friday. 

Paige leaned across the table to talk to Marco. "Have you noticed anything weirtd about Ellie lately?"

"El? No. Her dad is gone, peace mission. She'll be fine when he gets back."

"She said that?" Marco nodded. He glanced at the clock, then whispered something to Dylan, who nodded.

"We have to go guys, see you at school." 

Paige and Hazel watched them go. "Aww, they are so cute."

Marco thought that now as a good a time as ever to find out what was going on. "There's more to the thing with Jay than you're telling me, isn't there?" Dylan glanced over at the dark haired boy and let out a deep breath.

"Yeah. We…uh…we used to be…friends when we were younger. When I got into hockey, he started to tease me a lot. And then," Marco cut in, "You came out."

"Yeah. He couldn't believe that he'd been friends with me for years and not known. He was the first one to go, I didn't really lose a lot of friends over it, but he really freaked out over it. He came up with 'Homochuk' and called me thing. People at school heard him and they followed; eventually they got over it. The teachers addressed it and they realized what they were doing. Jay never gave up." He finished as he pulled up at Marco's house.

"He's a jerk, Dyl."

Yeah, same thing with Gavin, huh? Only he got over it."

"He's not. Paige said he only invited us because if we were with them we wouldn't be alone." Dylan's hand was on the door handle. "Wait." Marco reached over and took Dylan's hand. "Don't be upset if my dad is mean, he hasn't been very talkative lately." Dylan kissed him.

"Don't worry about it." When they walked in the first person they saw was Mrs. Del Rossi. 

"Hi honey, Dylan."

"Hey, Ma."

"Hi Mrs. Del Rossi."

"So, boys, how was school." She moved around a few dishes on the table.

"It was good. Where's dad?"

"The den. It's ready, sit down and I'll go get him."

The meal was uneventful. Marco's parents kept small talk going throughout it. His dad asked about school and Hockey. After they were through Marco told his mom they were going to his room. 

"I'm sorry, that was painful." 

Dylan smiled. "Don't worry about it, it was fine." He leaned in and kissed the smaller boy.

Marco closed his eyes and savored the kiss, he'd waited all week for a chance to be in his room with Dylan again. He put his hands on Dylan's hips and puller the taller boy to him. Dylan smiled and kissed him again, slow and light at first, but gradually more intense. He brushed Marco's hair out of his face, they locked eyes and smiled. Marco leaned his head against his boyfriend's shoulder and smiled against his neck. Dylan rubbed his back, his hands moving slowly.

"I love you Marco." Marco looked up.

"I love you too." He took Dylan's hand and led him to the bed. They sat down and Marco's lips were on his once again. Dylan's tongue caressed his own. Marco's hands moved to his boyfriend's hips once more, Dylan wrapped his arms around Marco and pulled him forward as he lay back. Marco followed willingly not breaking the kiss, he half lay over Dylan.

Marco knew that their connection was strong, nothing could break it. They'd gone through a lot of teasing about their relationship, it didn't bother them. They were in love. Dylan slid his hands under Marco's shirt and up his back. Marco did the same, pushing up Dylan's shirt and running his hands across his boyfriends stomach.

Downstairs, Marco's parents were getting uneasy. Mr. Del Rossi fidgeted with the newspaper listening intently for sounds coming from his sons room upstairs. His wife sat in the armchair next to him, watching the silent television. He check the time on his watch, ten, it had been three hours since they went to Marco's room.

"It's been too long. "I'm going to tell them that Dylan has to go home." He stood, dropped the paper into the chair and headed for the stairs.

"Frank, wait…you might not want to."

"Why?" He turned around.

"Well, they aren't just talking up there."

"He raised his eyebrows. "All the more reason to stop it." He continued up the stairs, his wife behind him. He knocked at the door, Marco and Dylan didn't hear, he opened it and the two boys pulled apart quickly. Their faces were flushed and their breathing heavy. Mr. Del Rossi had hoped he could blame Dylan for moving too fast, but the second he opened the door his plan was ruined. Marco lay over Dylan his hands under Dylan's shirt, he wanted to, Dylan wasn't pushing anything. 

"Dylan should go home now." He left.

"I'm sorry hon, but Dylan should really get going it's late." Mrs. Del Rossi was nicer about it, she shut the door.

Marco and Dylan stood up. "I can't believe that I forgot to lock the door." Marco put his hands against the dresser and leaned forward.

"It was bound to happen sometime." Dylan came up behind Marco and put his arms around his stomach. Marco leaned back against him.

"I know, but they'll call yours and 'speak their concerns'." He clasped his hands over Dylan's.

"And I'll get the 'be careful' speech again. They can't break ups up Marco. No one can." He let go of Marco.

"I'll walk you to your car." They headed downstairs, they didn't see Marco's parents. Dylan got in his car, Marco leaned through the window and they kissed each other goodbye.


	7. Pain 2

Marco went back inside, his parents were waiting for him.

"Great. I already had the 'be careful' talk, remember?"

"Marco, I know you don't want to hear it but—" his dad interrupted his mom.

"Don't baby him. If he thinks he's ready to be serious about Dylan, he should be treated like an adult, not a kid. Marco, I'm not going to tell you to be careful, you already know that. I'm going to tell you to think about it.  To think about what is going to happen if you an Dylan…do…uh…get serious. To think about how your relationship is going to change, how your other relationships are going to change. You have to decide if you're ready to take things to the next step, because things will change if you do."

"We love each other. If we are together it won't change anything between us. Dylan isn't using me for that. And so what if my friends find out, it's not like any of them haven't. Craig has, and he was cheating on Ashley when he did. He was stupid about it, he wasn't prepared and he got a fourteen year old pregnant. That can't happen with Dylan and I. We won't be stupid and screw up. We're in love."

Mr. Del Rossi was getting angry. "You are fifteen. You don't know what love is."

Marco was close to tears. "Yes I do. I know that every time I see Dylan me heart skips,  I know that I'm always happy when I'm with him or when I think about him. I know that's it's right. That's what this whole thing is about, you think it's wrong for me to love another boy. It's right, it's the only way it's ever going to be. I know you wanted me to marry some nice girl and have kids, but I'd be lying to myself if I did. It can't be that way, and nothing you can do will change it." Marco went to his room, not caring if he got through to his dad or not.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                At Dylan's house the exact opposite was happening. He walked in, his parents sat in the den. His mom smiled, trying to make it better, he looked only to his dad. Mr. Michalchuk sat reading the paper, more like staring at it, but he refused to look up. He pretended Dylan wasn't there. He'd done the same thing a few years ago, when Dylan came out. His mother left the room, yet he stared at his dad, waiting for a reaction.

                "You can't ignore me forever, I'm you son."

                "I have no son, you're more like a daughter anyway." He finally lowered the paper.

"Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I'm not here, I'm still here. I've always been here." Dylan's voice cracked with emotion.

"I could care less if you are gay, but I don't want you acting on it in my house."

"You make it sound like an impulse. It's not, it's who I am."

"Can't it wait till you are out on your own?" Dylan's eyes narrowed.

"You want me to be miserable like you? Spend as much time away from my life as possible? If I don't see it it's not there? Bury myself in hockey to prove that I'm a man? Hope that you show up to just one of my games and pretend not to care when you don't? I'm sick of it, I'm sick of waiting for you to try to remember that you have a damn family." Dylan raised his voice halfway though.  

What happened next seemed a blur. Dylan watched as his father raised his arm, the next thing he knew he was on the floor. He pushed himself up and ran to his room, his eyes blurring with tears. The left side of his face burned, he glanced in the mirror. A cut on his cheekbone was bleeding, and it was already starting to bruise.

Dylan barely managed to pull him self out of bed in the morning. He pulled on some clothes and checked the mirror. The selling had gone down, and the cut was merely a scrape, but the bruise was dark and noticeable. Something else in his refection caught his eye; a small purple mark on his neck from Marco. He smiled thinking about the night before. He knocked on his sister's door, she opened it and instantly saw the hickey.

"Can you cover it?"

"Sure," Paige had a smirk on her face. She dabbed cover-up on the spot." Do you want me to cover your cheek too?"

"No. It's alright."

At School he made it through the halls with only a few looks. He got to Marco's locker, he was there getting a book off the top shelf. He took a deep breath then walked over to him. He put his hand on Marco's shoulder. "Hey."

Marco turned around, he spotted the bruise instantly. "What happened? Jay?" Marco touched his boyfriend's face gently.

"No. Marco…I haven't been completely honest about how my parents have been about this whole thing." He read the question in Marco's eyes. "Um…my dad wasn't exactly okay about it when I came out, he acted like I wasn't there, he wouldn't even talk to me. He got over it after a while, but he started working more, going on business trips. I thought he was over it completely, but when we started to date."

"So...your face?"

"I mouthed off." Marco leaned against the locker next to his.


End file.
